Method of applying sealing strips



Jan. 5, 1943. A, L, H WARD 2,307,406

METHOD OF APPLYING SEALING STRIPS Filed Sept. 19, 1939 INVENTOR fllber'l'L.]16 ward ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 5, 1943 METHOD OF APPLYING SEALING STRIPS Albert L. Howard, Brockton, Mass., assignor of one-half to Lawrie L. Witter, Boston, Mass.

Application September 19, 1939, Serial No. 295,617

1 Claim.

This invention relates to sealing tapeof the nature used most commonly in the sealing of paper wrapped packages. Two such tapes in present use are constructed respectively of paper and cellulose, the latter being transparent and commonly called Scotch tape. Both these tapes have an adhesive coating on one face and the paper tape usually bears advertising of varying nature on its other face. The transparent tape, however, is of such nature that it does not admit of printing and this tape therefore bears no advertising. One object of my invention resides in such novel combining of a relatively narrower tape with this Scotch tape as to provide this advertising efficiently and effectively.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, I propose to provide a sealing tape having an exposed adhesive coating on and along one face thereof extending inwardly of one edge of the strip but not along and adjacent tojthe other edge thereof, the construction being such that when the tape is applied to a surface to be sealed said exposed adhesive coating adheres thereto and the said other edge portion of the strip remains adhesively free and serves as a finger-gripping piece for removing the tape. In one form of the invention the entire area of one face of the sealing strip is coated with adhesive and said other edge portion thereof is rendered non-adhesive by applying a relatively narrower tape to this coating along such edge, and in the preferred form of the invention the sealing strip is transparent and this narrower strip has advertising or the like on its adhering face which is visible through the transparent strip. This narrower strip furthermore serves to reinforce the finger-gripping portion of the sealing strip.

The sealing strip and the relatively narrower strip can be originally combined into a composite rolled unit and used in this form or the two strips can be rolled into separate units and combined as they are simultaneously withdrawn from the rolls. This latter method of use has various advantages and is believed to be preferable. The sealing strip is a standard article and is used without modification regardless of the nature of the other strip, and this method permits the convenient combining of numerous and varying narrower strips with the sealing strip at the points of use or consumption. A further object of the invention resides in these further and advantageous features all as hereinafter more specifically described.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of certain embodiments thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawing wherein, a

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a sealing tape embodying one form of my invention,

Fig. 2 is a like view of another form thereof,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a tape dispensing mechanism embodying my invention,

Fig. 4 illustrates a glass jar employing my novel sealing tape as a label,

Fig. 5 illustrates a box or carton employing the tape as a cover seal,

Fig. 6 illustrates the tape employed to seal a wrapped package, and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of a sealing tape embodying another form of the invention.

The sealing tape I0 illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises a transparent strip I2 combined with a relatively narrower strip Id. The strip l2 has an adhesive coating on one face l5 and the strip ll is in adhering contact therewith and longitudinally thereof to form the composite tape II. The adhering face of the tape ll may be provided with indicia, such as advertising, or any design for ornamental purposes, as may be desired. This face is visible through the transpan; ent strip and, when the strip I4 is located intermediately of the edges of the strip I2, the adhering of the edge portions of the strip I: to the surface to be sealed serves to hold the strip I4 flat and exposed to full view and fully protected by the strip l2 In Fig. 2 is illustrated a sealing tape l6 having an exposed adhesive coating on one face thereof along and extending inwardly of one edge of the tape but not along and extending inwardly of the other edge thereof, whereby the tape when applied to a surface to be sealed will remain adhesively free of the surface along said other edge and provide a finger gripping piece for pulling the tape free from said surface. The specific and preferred construction illustrated is in the form of a composite tape comprising a transparent strip 18 combined with a relatively narrower strip 20. The strip l8 has an exposed adhesive coating on one face I9 and the strip 28 is in adhering contact therewith along one longitudinal edge thereof. The strip 20 covers the adhesive face [9 along this longitudinal edge and the indicia on its adhering face is visible through the strip l8. The strip 20 reinforces the strip l8 along this edge and servw as a finger gripping piece for pulling the tape free from the surface to which it is sealed. Ordinary sealing tape is in sealing contact throughout its entire area with the surface to be sealed and opening of the sealed package requires a cutting or objectionable tearing operation. My improved tape is easily removed merely by gripping the free portion 20 and pullingthe tape loose.

While the composite tape herein illustrated and described can be made by combining the two strips and rolling the same into a unit, it is advantageous for various reasons to combine the two strips for use as they are drawn from independent rolls. As illustrated in Fig. 3, an apparatus for serving this purpose may comprise a support 22 having mounted thereon a roll 24 of transparent strip I2 and a roll 26 of the relatively narrower strip l4. The rolls are so located that the narrower strip is united in face to face contact with the adhesive face I! of the strip I! along one longitudinal edge thereof, suitable means being provided on the support at 28 for pressing the tapes into adhering contact as they are drawn simultaneously from the rolls. The pieces to be used are torn from the tape at 21. This method of use is most convenient and has various advantages. Among these advantages may be mentioned the fact that the sealing strip l2 or [8 is a standard article and is used without modification regardless of the nature of the other strip. Unlimited combinations can therefore be effected merely by changing the roll 26.

My improved tape has many uses embodying superior utility and ornamental features. In Fig. 4 I have illustrated how the tape of Fig. 1 can be used as a label on a glass jar 30, the tape being transparent except for the relatively narrower strip. The transparent strip serves to keep the label clean and stains which would soil ordinary labels can be readily washed therefrom.

In Fig. 5 is illustrated a portion 3| of tape like the tape I 6 used to seal a carton 32. The "pull tab on the seal not only serves to unseal the carton but also to lift the cover. In Fig. 6 is illustrated a wrapped package 34 in which the paper overlap at 36 is sealed by a piece of tape 38 like that shown at l8. It will be readily apparent that the free edge 40 not only serves as advertising but furthermore that the tape can be readily removed by ripping and pulling this free edge. The package can then be unwrapped without danger of damaging the contents or even tearing the wrapper.

In Fig. 7 I have illustrated another form of m invention embodying a strip II having an adhesive coating 52 on one face thereof and having one longitudinal edge portion folded over at It to bring itsadhesive coating into adhering contact with the adjacent adhesive coating, the said folded over portion being of a width leaving a substantial width portion of the adhesive coating 52 exposed on and along the tape. The strip can be continuously folded over to form the namedhering head 54 as the strip is drawn from a roll for use. The head will not adhere to the surface being sealed by the face 52 and serves as a finger gripping piece for pulling the tape free of such surface.

It is believed that a sealing tape of the nature I herein described, together with the method and apparatus employed in constructing and using the tape. is new in the art, and the utility and merits of the invention are believed to be apparent without further description.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A method of applying a sealing strip to a surface to be sealed and simultaneously therewith providing visible indicia on the strip, which consists in supporting a roll of transparent adhesive tape having a dry and tacky adhesive coating on one face and a roll of relatively narrower tape having indicia visible at one face thereof in such lateral alignment that said one face of the adhesive tape and the said one face of the narrower tape are in opposed relation as the tapes are withdrawn in the same direction from the two rolls, simultaneously withdrawing the two tapes from the rolls and bringing and pressing their two said faces into adhering contact, and then attaching the resulting composite tape to the surface to be sealed by applying to said surface the portion of the adhesive face not covered by the narrower tape.

ALBERT L. HOWARD. 

